Good Morning,

This might turn into a rest day, not sure yet.

My ankles hurt, I don't know why, and my left arm and shoulder are kind of numb-ish since I ran into a tree two days ago. I know, kind of stupid to run into a tree, straight and hard. I still claim that thing attacked me, for no reason at all. Is it possible to press charges against a lonesome tree out there? There were plenty of eye witnesses, problem only is - they are all trees, and I'm afraid that bunch will stick together, no matter what.  Sigh. I guess I'll just have to be patient, let the swelling subside, and move on.

Sandy: Hopefully, there won't be any last-minute dinner appointments made. Enjoy your royal run, don't let all that extra baggage pull you down. Seems like one of those tough trips this time, with never-ending jet lag and obligations, and no fun. But you are a long-hauler, so I'm sure you'll get through it and come out strong on the other side.

QOTD: Have you ever run against a tree, a log, a rock, or similar? Got injured?

With me, it seems I have trouble estimating how wide my shoulders are. It happens almost every year that I collide with things on the trail. Maybe I'm half blind and don't even know it?

Have a glorious day, everyone!

I wasn't going to post today...feeling crumby that I missed another day of running/working out.  But Sandy - you started us off right.  Up half the night with my 8 yr old who seemed to get the stomach thing while DW was downstairs dealing with it herself.  Needless to say, I needed to not get up at 5 and go run/workout.  At this point, staying healthy is more important than individual workouts.  DS seems to be ok - maybe didn't get hit as hard as we thought and so is DW - for now.  Time will tell. I doubt I will get in anything tonight.  Night schedules are too hectic.

QOTD: I had to laugh at this question.  I am trying to imagine us all "running into trees".  I have fallen numerous times, tripped on plenty of roots but never run into a tree.  Having said that, I did have a tree attack me.  At my lone 50 miler in 2011, I tried to be "heroic" and vault a tree laying over the trail.  But because the tree had released some sort of grease, I slipped considerably and landed on my right hip - hard.  I still have a deep discomfort in that hip.

FTYC - I was wondering if you did try and press charges on that tree if you would be able to pick it out of a line-up amongst other trees.  Ha!

Have a great day!

Im sitting in my brothers screened in porch in Charleston, temp 68 drinking a latte it was 14F when left MT yesterday. We, ll do a short run on the beach today

qotd not too bad w trees, roots and rocks on the other hand  those get me fairly often

No royalty here in Gettysburg, just a lot of ghosts (or so they say).

Either 60 min run in the Battlefield or I may be forced to use the TM.  Forecast is for thunderstorms and I've been hit by lightning before.

QOTD:  Never run into a tree.  Have fallen over logs; the ones that somehow raise themselves up an inch just as you are jumping over them.  Rocks get me all the time, especially now with all the leaves covering them.  I've gotten pretty good at the shoulder roll fall.

I'll do some hill repeats tonight, though my legs are tired from 2 days of intense snowboarding plus a run last night. I crapped out on my  long run last weekend, so I'm trying to stick to my plan this week.

QOTD: I'm not known for running into objects, but have definitely face planted more than a few times...

Yay!!   Finished up the meeting a little early today and I have some time to fit in a run. . .   so off I go.

I came back for the qotd, so here it is:

At some parts of the Crosstimbers 50 miler course the trail is sunken in about a foot or so lower than ground level, I guess due to wear and erosion.  When we were running the sunken trail was filled with water and mud, so some runners ran along the edge of the trail at the upper ground level.  You had to squeeze between the trees and the sunken trail.  I was running along the edge avoiding the trees, but also had to watch the footing carefully.  What I didn’t see was a stub of a pine tree branch that someone had cut off sticking out about a foot from the tree trunk.  As I was running by the tree my right arm was swinging forward and I smashed my bicep on the 2 inch diameter branch stub (read substantially stiff immovable object).  My arm was back-n-blue and sore for weeks.  Afterward I thought I was lucky I didn’t hit that thing with my face.

Here's a thought as I am reading through everyone's accounts of falling, or smacking into trees and branches: why run trails? I would think most "road" runners ask that question.  If you are going to fall so much, then why bother?

 

This question doesn't need answered here.  We all know why we run trail, but just an interesting divergence in thought.

I'm stubborn and smartiepants, so I'll answer the question nonetheless: Because it's not any better on the roads for me. I manage to trip on the pavement, slip in puddles below the curb and twist my ankle, etc.

So if I have to fall or get hurt anyway, I'll rather do it on a trail!